


sweet music playing in the dark

by teatales



Series: sweet and soft [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Anniversary, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Slow Dancing, Trans Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:35:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21951562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teatales/pseuds/teatales
Summary: Harry and Ron are forced to attend a charity ball on the night of their third anniversary. They get through it and make it home the only way they know how - together.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ron Weasley
Series: sweet and soft [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1344880
Comments: 10
Kudos: 114





	sweet music playing in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> hi y'all. I know I kinda stopped giving you that Rarry content for a bit but I was writing HP fic for NaNoWriMo (50,000 words can you believe) and after that I could barely look at anything Harry Potter y'know? Then I started a full time job and also Good Omens consumes my every waking thought. so, you know, shit happens. 
> 
> but I am back and this series is not abandoned! huzzah! bc sometimes you're gay and listening to all too well by taylor swift and thinking about harry potter. is that just me?? / 'cause there we are again in the middle of the night / we dance around the kitchen in the refrigerator light /
> 
> also just a general ~watch this space~ for whenever I get around to editing my nano project bc it's a philosopher's stone rewrite w/ trans harry and I'm really excited for it! I was writing it before a certain person said certain things bc I'm trans and love hp but now I also have, like, explicit spite as a motivator. but also full time job, so. I'll keep y'all posted for whenever I start sharing that (will probs be on a different account bc irl friends want to read it) 
> 
> enjoy!

Harry couldn’t quite believe that they wouldn’t let him out of the charity ball when it was also his anniversary. But it was for  _ charity  _ and there were, apparently, major donors coming or some other such nonsense.  _ And _ he had begged off the past dozen or so with various excuses. That didn’t change the fact that he and Ron were stuck, dressed up and paraded around like prize kneazles. 

Ron refused to leave Harry alone for it. Harry had, of course, tried to convince him that one of them at least should have a pleasant evening. How could Ron have a good night without Harry, though? That and the fact that he would get to see his handsome boyfriend all dressed up had been a convincing argument. Ron loved Harry no matter what he was wearing, of course, but he cut such a fine figure in a well-tailored suit that he could hardly resist. So there they were, hand in hand, walking into battle once more. 

It was a good cause, definitely. That was what Harry repeated to himself over and over in his head as he felt his facial muscles grow sore from polite smiling. Squib education was ridiculously underfunded and almost unheard of, despite how much he and Hermione were trying to change that. The food was good, too. Ron kept sneaking canapes into his hand whilst playing the role of the perfect trophy boyfriend. He may be a war hero too (and contributed a lot to the behind-the-scenes of the campaign) but didn’t have the patience for political conversation. Being Harry’s was enough for him. 

The night passed in a whirlwind of handshakes and kisses and small (but actually very important) talk. Food and drink (only one glass of champagne for each of them) and the stiff, formal dancing neither had much enjoyed since the Yule Ball and Harry’s speech. Merlin, Ron was so proud of him. How lucky he was to have spent the last decade in his orbit, and the last three as his boyfriend? 

The end of the speech concluded their official duties and they managed to slip away, unnoticed, to the designated apparation point. 

The landed with a lurch and stumbled a few steps before righting themselves. They were hardly tipsy, only drunk from the whirlwind of the impressive function. The lights had flickered on automatically and the couple became bathed in a soft glow. 

Ron turned to face Harry. 

“Well done on the speech, mate. It was amazing,” he said earnestly. 

“Thanks, Ron.” Harry leaned up and in to meet his boyfriend in a sweet kiss. Ron smiled into it, Harry’s soft lips against his. They embraced. 

“Happy anniversary,” Harry whispered. 

“Happy anniversary, my love,” Ron replied. Harry’s hold tightened a fraction at the endearment. 

They remained there for several minutes as they began to finally wind down and relax. The pain in Harry’s feet soon grew too much to bare and he stepped back to sat in one the kitchen chairs. He unlaced his shiny dress shoes and groaned with relief as they dropped to the floor. 

“Better?” 

“Much,” agreed Harry as he peeled off his socks. Ron plonked into the seat next to him and followed suit. Harry was more in the limelight out of the two of them and thus had more pressure to keep up with the latest fashion. At big events he couldn’t be seen repeating outfits too much, even if they were for charity. Despite using a Walking On Air charm Harry’s feet still ended up sore. 

Once Ron had kicked off his shoes, he shrugged off his dark jacket and dumped it on the table. He loosed his tie and lifted it over his head. He sighed. 

“Help me?” Harry asked.

Harry’s outfit was more elaborate and although he had dressed himself, it was nice to have some assistance. As Ron saw about unbuttoning the top layer Harry tipped his head up in clear want of a kiss. Ron granted the wish and his hands stilled for a moment as he relished the affection. When they separated Harry’s face was flushed and pleased. 

Giggling with tired and clumsy hands, the pair managed to get Harry undressed a little. The inner layers were easier but took as much time in between kisses and gossip about the night. That was their favourite part of any event they attended - the coming home and sharing of what they had seen or heard. 

“-at least the music was marginally better this time. The last ball we had to attend I felt like I was going to fall asleep. Except with how stiff I was from holding proper posture I don’t think it was possible.” 

“Yeah, Merlin. As much as I love holding you Harry, those formal dances leave… much to be desired,” Ron finished wryly. 

Harry turned back from where he had been setting down his various accessories and leaned against the side of the table. 

He looked at Ron, the man he had been dating for three years. The man who had been his first friend, then brother. Who had been with him through everything - all of the highs and lows over his life. The who had gone to war with him, for him. The man who had planted himself next to Harry’s side on a train leading to the first home Harry had ever known and had never even thought about walking away. Not because of Harry’s angst or mental illnesses or gender and sexuality crises, Ron was a constant. This was the man Harry got to love everyday and the man who loved him in return, completely. 

Ron was right, as he often was. The formal dancing of tonight’s event (or that of the Yule Ball, or the more traditional weddings they had attended) wasn’t particularly enjoyable. It certainly didn’t have the intimacy associated with the idea of dancing. But that was the thing about them there and now. They could do what they like, rewrite the memories and mistakes of their pasts and turn them into something beautiful. 

Wordless and wandless, Harry switched on the record player in the corner. It crackled and faded into the soft sound of music filling the still night air. 

“Dance with me?” 

Ron’s face broke out into a grin. His hands left where they had been resting on his hips and reached out towards Harry. “Of course.” 

Harry pushed off the table and into Ron’s embrace. He spun them out to the centre of the kitchen where there was more room. 

Harry pressed his face to Ron’s chest, right against his heart. Ron’s arms came around to hold him properly. They swayed to the music, in their home, in each other’s arms. They shared the closeness and warmth and above all, love. This, Harry realised, this was what he needed. After another night of pretending to be someone he wasn’t, he needed to be seen and known by someone who understood him. And he had it. This night, and for the rest of his life. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos make me very happy, I would love it if you left some!


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